Introduction
Infection of urinary tract refers to inflammation of mucus or tissues of the urinary tract due to growth and multiplication of pathogenic bacteria in the urinary tract. The clinical manifestations are frequent urination, urgent urination and painful urination, or accompanied by lumbago and fever. This problem is usually seen among women, similar to stranguria and retention of urine in TCM. This disease originates from the bladder and kidney, but is also related to the spleen. It is caused by accumulation of damp-heat in the lower energizer and dysfunction of the bladder in transforming qi due to exogenous or endogenous factors. It is usually of sthenia syndrome. Prolonged duration may change into asthenia syndrome or syndrome of mixed asthenia and sthenia due to stagnation of heat consuming yin, dampness blocking yang-qi or yin impairing yang.

Syndrome differentiation
1. Sthenia Syndrome
Urgent urination, astringency and burning pain in urination, yellow and turbid urine, distension and pain in lower abdomen, or lumbago, or aversion to cold, fever, red tongue with yellow and greasy fur, slippery and rapid pulse.

2. Asthenia Syndrome
Unsmooth urination, dripping urination, occasional occurrence or occurrence after overstrain, or tidal fever and night sweating, feverish sensation over palms, soles and chest, red tongue with scanty fur, thin and rapid pulse, or aversion to cold and cold limbs, aching and weakness of loins and knees, edema of lower limbs, light-colored tongue and weak pulse.

Treatment
1. Body Acupuncture
Prescription: Zhongji (CV 3), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Shenshn (BL 23) and Pangguangshu (BL 28).

Modification: For severe fever, Hegu (LI 4) and Quchi (LI 11) are added; for asthenia of kidney yin, Taixi (KI 3), Yinxi (HT 6) and Fuliu (KI 7) are added; for asthenia of spleen and kidney yang, Pishu (BL 20) and Zusanli (ST 36) are added; for hematuria, Xuehai (SP 10) and Diji (SP 8) are added; for frequent urination in the night, Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Zusanli (ST 36) are added.

Performance: Zhongji (CV 3 ) should be needled superficially and obliquely to avoid impairing the bladder. Asthenia syndrome is treated by reinforcing needling technique, while sthenia syndrome is dealt with by reducing needling technique. Yang asthenia syndrome can be treated by moxibustion following acupuncture. Electro-acupuncture can also be applied with continuous or sparse and dense wave and high frequency for stimulation.

2. Ear Acupuncture
Prescription: Kidney (CO10), Bladder (CO9), Urethra (HX3), Ureter (CO9,10i), Spleen (CO13), Triple Energizer (CO17), Sympathetic Nerve (AH6a) and Ear Shenmen (TF4).

Performance: Each time 3 - 5 acupoints are selected and needled with routine procedure. The needles are retained for 30 minutes. The needling is done once a day and the two ears are needled in alternation.